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TODAY'S TEACHING
As unbelieving Jews pressure the Romans to "Crucify Him!", Jesus suffers for us. Today's study of this ancient story is a contemporary call to recognize the gravity of sin, the immense cost of forgiveness, and the boundless grace offered through Jesus Christ.
Jesus, the unblemished One, the One whom Pilate declared as innocent, would die, instead of one who deserved to die.
Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse:
Barabbas was the only man in the world who could say that Jesus Christ took his physical place. But I can say that Jesus Christ took my spiritual place. For it was I who deserved to die…He was handed over to judgment because of my sins
...Christ was my substitute.
Simon was from Cyrene, located in North Africa (where Tripoli is today), almost 800 miles as the crow flies. Cyrene had a large Jewish population and Simon could have, like many other Jews living in foreign lands, made the trip to Jerusalem for Passover. After making this long trip, he likely stayed through Pentecost. It’s possible that Simon even moved his family to Jerusalem.
Simon was pressed into service by the Romans and forced to carry the cross of Jesus. Contrary to many paintings and pictures, Jesus and Simon were not carrying the entire cross, but the horizontal beam known as the the patibulum (Latin),
as the vertical beam usually stayed in the ground where other criminals had previously been crucified.
Can you imagine this man later realizing that he carried the cross of the condemned, so the condemned could make him clean?
- Tradition mentions that Simon later became a follower of Jesus, and Mark mentions his two sons by name (Alexander & Rufus - Mk 15:21), as they likely were known to the Christian community whom Mark was writing to.
Simon would have likely heard this next conversation as told by Dr. Luke.
Jesus knows the destruction that is coming for these women in the near future. What happens to dry trees compared to green trees which are lit on fire? Dry trees burn quickly. Judgment was coming for those who refused to submit to the Messiah, and that judgment would be awful. During the Olivet discourse, Dr. Luke notes that Jesus said…
Why would God let that happen? Dr. Luke quotes Jesus regarding the reason for this.
Golgotha comes from the Aramaic word meaning “skull”. There IS a place in Jerusalem that you’ve probably seen before, a place that used to look like a skull (now deteriorating). Jesus is taken to Golgotha, just outside the walls of Jerusalem,
a rocky place close to the road where Jews would get a terrifying warning of what happens when you defy the Roman Empire.
- “Calvary” is never mentioned in an English Bible, BUT…Calvary IS from the Latin term “calvaria” meaning “skull”, as found in the Latin Vulgate -the most popular Bible translation in the world for 1500 years.
Picture of "Gordon’s Hill" (2020)
Picture of "Gordon’s Hill" (late 1800s)
Why did they offer Jesus wine mixed with gall? What’s THAT all about? This wine expected to refresh was NEVER intended to refresh, but to MOCK - gall would have been incredibly bitter.
Based on Dr. Luke’s writing we know that they nailed the hands (wrist) and feet of Jesus to the cross (Lk 24:39-40).
Anyone familiar with this story might recall that this actually fulfills a 1,000 year old prophecy from David’s Psalm 22.
Psalm 22:18 (NIV) They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.
This placard above Jesus’ head was meant to taunt and haunt anyone claiming to be king without the approval of the Roman Empire.
Two rebels were crucified with Jesus, one on his right and one on his left. It’s likely the two rebels were men that Barabbas was supposed to be executed with. Either way, the cross that Jesus was on was originally intended to hold Barabbas. Jesus’ death further fulfills the prophecy from Isaiah 53:12, as He was numbered with the rebels (NET, CSB)
This mocking fulfilled what the Scriptures declared 1,000 years before…
Psalm 22:6–8 (NIV) But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. “He trusts in the LORD,” they say, “let the LORD rescue him. Let Him deliver him, since he delights in Him.”
Sometime after this one of the criminals crucified next to Jesus changes his tune, from one who had insulted Jesus, to saying,
Eli is short for Elohim (God), but it is short for Elijah (Heb. Eliyah) as well. Eli-God + Yah (Yahweh) = Yahweh is God.
Jesus is quoting Psalm 22 which begins with the same thing Jesus cried out. Our sins had been put on Jesus and His sacrifice was almost completed.
The King has been killed, completing the prophesied plan, to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29).
The apostle John’s gospel recalls what Jesus cried out in a loud voice just before He died, “It is finished!” (Jn 19:30).
The single Greek word John translates into Greek is tetelestai, used often in this sense on ancient Greek receipts, “Paid in full.”
And that IS the claim of the New Testament writings, that what happened on this wicked, wonderful day…was Excruciating Grace.
This is the only Gospel that mentions holy people who had died being raised to life after the resurrection of Jesus.
What an incredible proof of Jesus’ resurrection & authority! And what a great hope of what we look forward to - the resurrection of the dead when Jesus returns! More about this NEXT WEEK.
The curtain of the temple was torn in two top to bottom. Of the 13 curtains in the temple, many scholars suppose this was largest and most grand curtain that separated every person from the Most Holy Place - where the Ark of the Covenant used to sit.
According to the Mishnah (first written collection of Jewish oral traditions), this curtain was 60 feet high and 30 feet wide , very heavy with layer upon layer of folded fabric woven with expensive yarns from Babylon in blue, white, red, and purple with images of angels. It was torn in tow from top to bottom, as if slashed in two by a great sword of God. WHY?
- This speaks to the future judgment of those who rejected the TRUE TEMPLE of God - the Messiah. The man-made temple & city would be destroyed in judgment.
- The tearing of the curtain demonstrates the access that the death of Jesus gives to all who trust in Him. No longer does anyone need a high priest & an unblemished sacrifice as Jesus fulfills BOTH of those roles - forever! You can read more about this in the writing we call Hebrews.
These were the same men given the responsibility to execute Jesus by crucifixion. While they probably don’t know exactly who Jesus is they had been a part of many executions and never seen anything like this:
- Jesus insulted by His own people, hearing them mock Jesus & taunt Jesus saying, “Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God.” (Mt 27:40)
- Jesus showing grace to others (e.g. Jesus telling John and his mother to take care of one another - Jn 19:25-27).
- Jesus showing grace talking to the criminal crucified next to Him.
- Watching the 3 hours of darkness in the middle of the day, followed by an earthquake!
What these soldiers saw had left them terrified. They probably understand that God is ANGRY because of how the Son of God has been treated…and that includes THEM!
We later hear of other Roman soldiers coming to follow Jesus. I wonder if they understood that THEY TOO realized that…
There’s no doubt that Matthew’s purpose for pointing this out was that WE would trust that Jesus is the Son of God, that WE TOO would recognize WHO Jesus really is and respond appropriately.
Are you thankful for this Excruciating Grace?
- Have you been forgiven?
- Are you livin’ forgiven? (That includes forgiving others.)
- Are you telling others how they can be forgiven?
Have questions and need some help? …real soon…how about now? Please call or text us soon!
Take some time to discuss these questions with your family, friends, or group.
- What challenged you, encouraged you, or left you scratching your head, from today’s teaching?
- Read Psalm 22:1, 6-8, 15-18. Knowing that this was written 1,000 years before the death of Jesus, name how these prophecies were fulfilled according Matthew 27:32-50.
- Read Matthew 27:51. What does the tearing of the temple curtain symbolize in the context of Jesus' death? How does it relate to accessing God's presence?
- Read Matthew 27:54. The soldiers, who initially mocked Jesus, eventually called Jesus “The Son of God” after witnessing the extraordinary events of the crucifixion. How does the transformation of the soldiers challenge us in the way we perceive those who initially reject or mock faith? Take a few minutes and talk about what the soldiers would have seen, heard, and participated in that day.
- Read 1 Peter 2:24-25. Explain the correlation between being forgiven & livin’ forgiven. Consider digging into this statement and talking further about it: “We can’t live for the things Jesus died to pay for, anymore.” How can we avoid the trap of taking that grace for granted, and instead, let it transform our actions and relationships?
- How can we effectively share the message that “It’s not too late for guilt to meet grace” with others who feel weighed down by their past? Share some ways we can be more intentional about showing the grace of Jesus to those around us, especially those who seem "guilty" or unworthy in the eyes of the world.
- How can we pray for/care for one another this week? (Pray for one another.)
